1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmission module assembly, and particularly to a transmission module assembly having a module cover receiving an electrical connector and a printed circuit board electrically connecting with the electrical connector.
2. Description of Related Art
Transmission module assemblies are widely used in computers or vehicles for controlling various functions. Such a transmission module assembly generally comprises a printed circuit board and contact elements electrically connecting with the printed circuit board. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,993,956, 5,154,618 and 5,905,637 each disclose such an assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,956 discloses an electrical connector comprising a base housing defining a cavity, a printed circuit board removably received in the cavity, contact elements disposed on opposite longitudinal walls of the cavity and having contact beams electrically engaging conductive pads on the printed circuit board and a cover covering the cavity to retain and protect the printed circuit board. With the printed circuit board received in the cavity of the base housing, walls of the cover are fitted within the cavity and held in place by respective downwardly facing shoulders on noses of the contact elements engaging upwardly facing shoulders on respective front and rear walls of the cover. The printed circuit board is held in place and urged against the contact beams by respective downwardly facing shoulders on the front and the rear walls of the cover. It is obvious that employing the cover to position the printed circuit board and urge an electrical engagement between the printed circuit board and the contact elements complicates the assembling process and increases the manufacturing cost.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,618 (hereinafter the '618 patent) discloses an electronic device including a first assembly and a second assembly interconnecting with each other. The second assembly is comprised of a base having forward and rearward portions configured to receive the first assembly in an overlapping relation. The rearward portion includes opposite upwardly extending sidewalls, a front wall and a rear wall defining a mounting space therebetween. A printed circuit board having an electrical connector mounted thereon is received in the mounting space. The front wall defines an opening configured to receive the electrical connector. After the printed circuit board together with the connector is received in the mounting space, a cover member is secured to the base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,905,637 (hereinafter the '637 patent) discloses a module assembly comprising a casing defining a mounting space and plural insertion slots, a printed circuit board mounted in the mounting space and holding a front connector and a rear connector, and a top cover covered on the casing and fastened to the rear connector. Terminals on the front connector are disposed in alignment with the insertion slots of the casing for engaging with corresponding terminals of an electronic device.
Both the '618 patent and the '637 patent disclose that after the connector has been installed on the printed circuit board, a soldering procedure is performed to electrically connect the terminals of the connector and the printed circuit board together, and then the printed circuit board is fastened to the mounting space. Accordingly, the assembling process is complicated and the manufacturing cost is correspondingly increased.
Subsequently, some people skilled in the art make great efforts to develop a module assembly to solve the above-mentioned problems but still ineffective. The module assembly comprises a module housing with terminals insert molded therein and a printed circuit board assembled to the module housing to electrically connect with the terminals. However, the process of insert molding the terminals with the module housing is expensive. Further, a soldering procedure is still employed to connect the terminals and the printed circuit board. Therefore, the manufacturing cost is still not decreased.
Hence, an improved module assembly is required to overcome the disadvantages of the related art.